<p><em>The doctrine of the Trinity can seem so esoteric and theoretical that one can wonder if it matters at all in our daily lives. Todays reflection though attempts to ground that highfalutin theology in our lived experiences. It depicts the Trinity not as arcane theological ephemera but as practical insight into how we might live as followers of Jesus.</em></p><div class=oldwebkit>&nbsp;</div><div class=oldwebkit><p><strong>June 4 2023: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity &nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Exodus 34:4b-6 8-9</p><p>Daniel 3:52 53 54 55 56</p><p>2 Corinthians 13:11-13&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>John 3:16-18</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3>One God in Mutuality Relationship and Otherness</h3><p><em>Reflection by Ann Penick</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><em>For God so loved the world as to give the Only Begotten One that whosoever believes may not die but have eternal life</em></p><p>Very powerful. But do we really understand what this scriptural passage from the Gospel of John means? Gods love for us is so great that God has found a way to bring us from death into life in the human form of Jesus. And yet the world does not seem very lovable right nowweve got a pandemic of disinformation additional attacks on transgender and cisgender LGBTQIA+ folks racial injustice and racial prejudice Fentanyl deaths and the continued barrage of unexplainable gun violence. There are also people desperate to be heard and a planet desperate to be cooled. Weve got people and institutions who dont seem to care or who are tone-deaf or who are averting their eyes hoping all this will magically disappear. Some of these people are even giving lip service to God in the process. For God so loved the world Powerful words but in this current environment merely saying powerful words or seeing those words on a bumper sticker just rings hollow. Believing in these words and congratulating oneself on believing these words is not the same as believing in Jesus as Messiah. What does it mean to believe in Jesus as Messiah?&nbsp; It means trusting in Jesus and journeying with Jesus committing oneself to living this message of love hope and peace for the worldthat is where the rubber meets the road.</p><p>Today we celebrate the Holy Trinity. How do we understand the Trinity? How does the Trinity even relate to our current situation? By definition God is beyond conceptualization beyond imagination and beyond language. In 325 the Council of Nicaea gave us some of the language for God we profess today: there is one God in three persons. The Creed isnt meant to make everything perfectly clear. No creed can ever capture the reality of God because God cant be captured and put into a boxno matter how hard people have tried over the centuries and still trying to do today! This is what the Trinity is all about: mutuality relationship and otherness. Mutuality is the source of life. Relationship grounds being. Otherness is there from the start.</p><p>God our creator invited us on earth to a lasting and loving relationship: I will be your God and you will be my people (Genesis 17:7). But what does this mean? We have people all around us hurt and betrayed. People whose health has been compromised by the coronavirus. People who have been hurt by the economy hurt by the Church betrayed by social systems and legislation supposed to be there to help. Mixed-up motives by well-meaning (and not-so-well-meaning) leadership. For God so loved the world can get lost in such a world and not be heard. Too often we choose the paths of least resistance and behave with greed and privilege. We find it easier than getting down to the hard work of walking the talk of our faith and living the words of the gospel message today. Living the gospel goes beyond inspiring words and lofty thoughts. It means practicing patience civility and anti-racism with justice and action; practicing inclusion and diversity; educating ourselves around issues practicing compassion for ourselves and with those around us; and practicing peace. Living in communion with one another as the Holy Trinity lives in communion with each other. Mutuality Relationship and Otherness.</p><p>Into this ocean of stuff Jesus the Christ has plungedheadfirst! Rev. John Foley said it best Think of Jesus as the most profound insides of Gods love for the world. It is this love between God Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that can dwell within usif we let it. Walking this talk takes commitment hard work and a hard long reflective look at ourselves. But we can allow the Holy Spirit to breathe life into us because the Holy Spirit is our Sustainer our Sanctifier and our Encourager.</p><p>Do I walk with God who revealed the Divine Essence through Jesus Christmerciful and gracious God slow to anger and rich in kindness and faithfulness? Or am I following a god of my own makingperhaps a god of vengeance a god of prosperity or another kind of god?&nbsp;</p><p>We remember what Teresa of Avila said:</p><blockquote><p>Christ has no body now but yours. No hands no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses the world. Yours are the hands yours are the feet yours are the eyes you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.</p></blockquote><p>Its true! Practice this and the world could change dramaticallyit begins with you and me! We can renew the face of the earth through mutuality relationship and othernessThree in One!</p></div><div class=oldwebkit>&nbsp;</div><div class=mobile-full><img class=mobile-full src=https://www.dignityusa.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/persist/contribute/images/uploads/static/ann3_9aeb904ecb602fad2191e88108c55388.png alt= width=166 vspace=0 hspace=0></div><p><em><strong>Ann Penick</strong> is originally from the Chicago area. She and her husband Jim live in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Ann was ordained a priest with Roman Catholic Womenpriests in 2011. Ann has been serving the faith communities of Dignity Washington and Northern Virginia Dignity as one of their presiders since 2017. She also serves as one of the board members of DignityUSA. In addition she has been pastoring a faith community of young families in Washington DC since 2013.</em></p><p style=text-align: center;><a class=btn btn-primary href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/subscribe>Subscribe to Breath of the Spirit</a></p>